Amazing how the Boston Red Sox won 5 out of 7 games against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees yet it seems like a colossal failure after dropping today's game against the Yankees. The Sox had New York reeling and sent their ace Chris Sale (5-10, 4.26 ERA) out to complete the sweep. The Sox did manage to pound out 10 hits and 6 runs but Sale had nothing. The Yankees crushed Sale for 6 runs and knocked him out of the sixth inning. The Sox defense and bullpen failed as they committed 3 errors and allowed 3 runs in the later innings. The Sox tried to rally in the ninth but the Yankees restored their lead in the AL East with a 9-6 win at Fenway Park.
Sale got the ball to start the top of the first and Aaron Hicks struck out swinging to start. Aaron Judge was retired on a squibber in front of the plate and Edwin Encarnacion struck out swinging to end the inning. German got the ball in the bottom of the first inning and Mr. Mookie Betts took strike three to start. Rafael Devers reached on an error by Gleybar Torres but Xander Bogaerts flied out to center. JD Martinez struck out swinging to end the inning.
Luke Voit took strike three to start the top of the second and Didi Gregorius flied out to right. Gleyber Torres lined out to third to end the inning. Andrew Benintendi took strike three to begin the bottom of the second and Brock "The Hitman" Holt lined out to left. Mitch Moreland went down hacking to end the inning.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the third although Gio Urshela flied out to center to begin. Cameron Maybin walked and Austin Romine smashed a home run into the Charles River to put the Yankees up. Hicks hit one up the elevator shaft and Judge whiffed to end the inning with the Yankees up 2-0.
German dominated the bottom of the third as Jackie Bradley Jr struck out swinging to start. Sandy Leon also went down hacking and Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Yankees struck again in the top of the fourth although Encarnacion took strike three to start. Voit walked and Gregorius hit a home run to Bakalakadaka Street to increase the lead. Torres lined out to right but Urshela doubled to center. Maybin lined out to left to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 4-0.
The Sox finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth although Devers flied out to left to start. Bogaerts beat out an infield single to third but Martinez went down hacking. Benintendi stepped up with his tenth home run of the season to cut the lead in half. Holt grounded back to the mound to end the inning but the Sox were still alive down 4-2.
Benintendi hits a home run
Romine flied out to center to start the top of the fifth and Hicks hit a routine grounder to Devers. Devers picked the ball up, spiked it like a football and did a salsa for an error. Judge struck out swinging but Encarnacion singled to center. Voit took strike three to end the inning. Moreland singled to left to start the bottom of the fifth but JBJ whiffed. Leon went down swinging and Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Yankees iced the game in the top of the sixth as Gregorius walked to start. Torres forced Didi at second and Urshela doubled home Gleybar to chase Sale. Sale would be charged with 6 runs in just 5 1/3 innings, guess his arm's worse than anyone thought. Colten Brewer came in and Maybin singled home Urshela to ice the game. Maybin got picked off and Romine grounded out to third to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 6-2.
The Sox blew a chance to come back in the bottom of the sixth as Devers walked to start. Bogaerts doubled Rafael to third but all Martinez could do is score Devers with a ground out. Tommy Kahnle replaced German and struck out Benintendi swimming but Bogaerts took third. Holt lined out to left to end the inning with the Sox down 6-3.
After the Sox cut the lead in half, Darwinzon Hernandez gave it back in the top of the seventh, Hicks walked to start but Judge took strike three. Encarnacion doubled out of the reach of Benintendi and Voit was intentionally walked to load the bases. Gregorius hit a fly ball to JBJ who caught it and suddenly fired the ball into the centerfield bleachers for an error to score Hicks and Encarnacion. Torres struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 8-3 Yankees.
The Sox blew another big rally in the bottom of the seventh as Moreland struck out swinging to start. JBJ singled to center to chase Kahnle and Adam Ottavino was brought in. Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Leon and Vazquez hit a routine grounder to Gregorius who threw the ball away for an error. All Mr. Mookie could do was score JBJ with a sac fly. Devers doubled to left but Bogaerts flied out to right with the Sox down 8-4.
Marcus Walden came in to cough up the top of the eighth as Urshela grounded out to short to start. Maybin doubled to center and moved to third on the Romine grounder. Walden uncorked a wild pitch that scored Maybin with the final run. Hicks walked and Holt dropped a pop up in foul territory for an error. Judge grounded out to short to end the inning but it was 9-4 Yankees.
The Sox blew another rally in the bottom of the eighth with Zack Britton on the mound. Martinez walked and Benintendi singled off the glove of Gregorius, causing Sox manager Alex Cora to send in Michael Chavis to pinch hit for Holt. Chavis moved both runners over with a ground out and Sam Travis pinch hit for Moreland, drawing a walk to load the bases. The rally ended as JBJ whiffed and Vazquez grounded into a force to end the inning.
Heath Hembree came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Encarnacion popped up to first to start. Voit flied out to center and Gregorius grounded out to first to end the inning. The Sox rallied but it was too little too late in the bottom of the ninth against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman. Mr. Mookie walked but Devers flied out to left. Bogaerts singled to left and a passed ball moved both runners over. Martinez struck out swinging but Benintendi singled home both runners with a base hit to left. How big were the runs allowed after Sale left now? Chavis whiffed to end the game and the Yankees had won it 9-6.
Jackass of the Night is Chris Sale. The "ace" got lit up by the Yankees in the biggest game of the year for 6 runs in just 5 1/3 innings.
The Good:
Xander Bogaerts was 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 3 for 5 with a 2 run homer and 4 total rbis.
Mitch Moreland was 1 for 3.
Sam Travis walked as a pinch hitter.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 2 at the plate.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Brock Holt was 0 for 3 with an error.
Michael Chavis was 0 for 2 with a strikeout.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
Darwinzon Hernandez allowed 2 runs in the seventh inning.
Marcus Walden allowed a run in the top of the eighth inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 3 but walked, drove in a run and scored a run.
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with an error but walked and scored a run.
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts and an error but scored a run.
Colten Brewer allowed an inherited runner to score but none of his own in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
For the second series in a row, losing the last game of the set leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. For all intents and purposes, this was a very successful stretch by the Sox to win 5 of 7 against the top two teams in the AL East. The problem is they're still 9 games out with 55 to play. The Yankees pounded Sale and pretty much the Sox pitching the whole series, this was just the only time the Sox didn't pound the Yankees into submission. A sweep was possibly too unrealistic but that's what the Sox needed to do to seriously strike fear into the heart's of everyone. If Sale isn't the ace anymore, the Sox are going to need another pitcher to beat the Yankees. Either pick somebody off the scrap heap like when they got Doug Fister or make a trade for one. Sox GM Dave Dombrowski has 3 days to come up with something because the Sox need help if they hope to compete for October. The loss drops the Sox to 59-48, 9 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox get a much needed off-day tomorrow then its on to phase two of this crucial stretch of games. The Tampa Bay Rays come to Fenway for a three game set Tuesday night. David Price takes on Charlie Morton of the Rays at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park
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